With a strong finish to the campaign, the Emory University men's soccer team claimed its seventh University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Championships in 2012.
The Eagles finished the season with a 9-3-1 record over its last 13 games, including a regular-season ending 1-0 victory at Carnegie Mellon University (then ranked sixth in Division III) that forced a four-way tie for the conference championships between Emory, Carnegie Mellon, Washington University (Mo.) and Brandeis University. Although tiebreakers meant that the UAA's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships would be awarded to Brandeis, the Eagles would receive an at-large bid to the tournament.
Traveling to Roanoke College for a first-round match against the Maroons, the Eagles would not disappoint, winning in dominant fashion by a 4-1 score. In the game, senior Andrew Natalino scored a pair of goals (including the game winner) and assisted on another, becoming the first player in the program's history to score multiple goals in an NCAA Tournament game. Sophomore Dylan Price and freshman Connor Curtin would add scores as well, as the Eagles would record just the second NCAA Tournament victory in the program's history, and the first since 1988, a span of 13 postseason games.
Emory's tournament run would come to an end in its next game, as the Eagles fell 3-0 to Messiah College, ranked first in Division III and the eventual 2012 NCAA Champions. Despite the score, Emory outshot the Falcons 10-9, becoming the first squad to outshoot Messiah since Ohio Wesleyan did so on September 9, 2011 (18-10), and the first team to hold the Falcons to under 10 shots since Calvin on December 5, 2009 (nine shots).
Emory's season came to a close with a record of 11-7-2. It was the 11th-consecutive season that the Eagles have recorded a double-digit win total, the extending the longest streak in the program's history.
Other highlights from the campaign include three overtime victories, including two against conference opponents. At home on September 29th, Emory utilized a 'golden goal' from sophomore Carl Credle with just 27 seconds left to play against the then 23rd-ranked University of Chicago, giving the Eagles a 4-3 win in their UAA opener. Just under a month later, the Eagles would capitalize on a double-overtime goal from sophomore Michael Rheaume that lifted the squad to a 1-0 victory at New York University, keeping Emory alive for the UAA Title.
The Eagles' strength during the season was its high-powered offense, which finished the year ranked 57th among NCAA Division III teams with 45 goals scored, and 67th with 2.25 goals per game. Natalino, who made the move from outside back to forward in 2012, led the offense, earning all-region third team recognition after leading all Eagles with 14 goals and 31 points. He finished the year ranked 35th among Division III players in goals, 49th in goals per game (0.7), 62nd in total points, and 69th in points per game (1.55). Price contributed with 12 goals of his own (ranked 74th in Division III), and his six game-winning goals led all Eagles during the year and were the third-most in a single season in the program's history. Also adding to Emory's offense during the year were junior Andrew Jones (four goals and five assist) and senior David Garofalo, who led all Eagles with six assists.
Defensively, the Eagles finished the year with six shutouts and a 1.34 team goals-against average. Led by senior Alex Scott, an all-UAA Second Team selection, and Garofalo, and all-UAA honorable mention, the Eagles' defense held opposing squads to an average of 9.65 shots and 4.55 shots on goal per game during the campaign. Goalkeeper Abe Hannigan became the first Emory freshman to start a game in goal since the 1995 season, finishing the season with a 9-4-1 record, a 1.29 goals-against average and three shutouts.
The following Eagles earned honors during the 2012 season:
NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region |
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Andrew Natalino |
Third Team |
Marietta, GA (Walton) |
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All-University Athletic Association |
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Andrew Natalino |
First Team |
Marietta, GA (Walton) |
Alex Scott |
Second Team |
Clarendon Hills, IL (Hinsdale Central) |
David Garofalo |
Honorable Mention |
Macon, GA (Mount de Sales) |
Andrew Jones |
Honorable Mention |
Arlington, VA (The Potomac School) |
Dylan Price |
Honorable Mention |
Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
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CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District |
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Dylan Price |
Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
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Sonny Carter Invitational All-Tournament Team |
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David Garofalo |
Macon, GA (Mount de Sales) |
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Roslyn, NY (Roslyn) |
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University Athletic Association Athletes of the Week |
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Dylan Price |
Sep. 24th (Offense) |
Great Falls, VA (Langley) |
Sep. 24th (Defense) |
Pittsburgh, PA (Fox Chapel Area) |
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Nov. 5th (Offense) |
Jacksonville, FL (Episcopal) |
2012 Emory Team Leaders:
Goals |
Andrew Natalino |
14 |
Assists |
David Garofalo |
6 |
Points |
Andrew Natalino |
31 |
Game Winning Goals |
Dylan Price |
6 |
Shots |
Andrew Natalino |
64 |
Shots on Goal |
Andrew Natalino |
32 |
Wins |
Abe Hannigan |
9 |
Saves |
Abe Hannigan |
31 |
Shutouts |
Abe Hannigan |
3 |
GAA |
Abe Hannigan |
1.29 |
Emory in the Final NCAA D-III Statistical Rankings:
Category |
Rank |
Total |
Scoring Offense |
67th |
2.25 |
Total Goals |
57th |
45 |
Team Goals Against Average |
177th |
1.34 |
Shutout Percentage |
148th |
0.3 |
Won-Lost-Tied Percentage |
131st |
0.6 |
Saves Per Game |
373rd |
3.15 |
Save Percentage |
338th |
0.692 |
Total Assists |
28th |
40 |
Total Points |
50th |
130 |
Eagles in the Final NCAA D-III Individual Statistical Rankings:
Category |
Player |
Rank |
Total |
Points Per Game |
Andrew Natalino |
69th |
1.55 |
Total Points |
Andrew Natalino |
62nd |
31 |
Goals Per Game |
Andrew Natalino |
49th |
0.7 |
Total Goals |
Andrew Natalino |
35th |
14 |
Dylan Price |
74th |
12 |